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Claude Derent
Claude Wolfgang Derent, the "Wolf-Priest of the Loping God Goldrinn," is a Gilnean druid and fighter. He has lived to see much, including the closing of the Greymane Wall, and the Northgate Rebellion that followed some years after. Though he was afflicted in the later stages of the Rebellion, he was still a devout fighter on the side of the rebels. Fighting for the freedom of his fellow Gilneans to be able to experience the world outside that they had been so harshly cut from. Now that the Rebellion is over and his homeland is lost, Claude wanders from place to place to spread the word of the so-called "Loping God" he worships. Biography Claude Derent was born to Josiah and Dasha Derent, a Gilnean farmer and Harvest Witch, respectively. Claude was taught how to hunt by his father, but he often sat while tending to his father's fields as he watched his mother mend some crops that would have broken and help shape the wounds that appeared in the trees around their farm. Claude often brought in food for his family when his father's harvest would not go well, and unbeknownst to his father, begged his mother to teach him some of the "old ways." His mother agreed only that he practice it in secret, if at all. Claude agreed and practiced what his mother taught him for many years, if more on a spiritual level than a mental one. When Claude saw the Greymane Wall close, he was afraid for what may ensue, since his father relied often on trade with those from Southshore to make end's meet when the Gilneans did not require any more food. Claude honed his hunting skills and taught himself how to fight, for fear that someone may try and attack their home due to their distance from the city. Claude first took up his blade and bow when the Northgate Rebellion began, immediately coming to the call of the rebels when the civil war began. In his first fight, his bow was snapped in half when he was knocked aside by a guardsman charging by on a horse. Shortly after, his sword was broken when he tried to slice at a worgen, and it cut the blade clean in half, since it was at least a decade old and wasn't properly taken care of. He was bitten when the Forsaken invaded and the people were cornered to the innermost parts of the city. He turned and was feral for a short time, but was subdued by a hunter and taken back in an attempt to reverse his crazed nature. He survived, but he had to fight hard to resist giving into the animal when fighting. He decided to take up a warhammer, given his newfound strength and his perceived reliance of such a weapon. He fought at the front of many battles for the Gilnean's escape from the city, and saw his drudic powers increase to new heights, since he was able to mend wounds and even turn some of his fur into bark, albeit for a short time. When the Night Elves aided the Gilneans by teaching them how to completely regain control of themselves, and change forms, Claude decided to remain more often in his new worgen form, as he grew accustomed to the quick and agile movements of such a being. Claude was disheartened to learn that his father was killed defending his mother from a group of Forsaken before some resistance fighters came to her aid. When he left with the rest of the survivors for Darnassus, Claude quickly offered himself to a superior druidic teacher alongside his mother. He was taught how to heal, but refused to learn any of the totemic shapeshifting forms, saying that "The Wolf-God" was his only chosen form. As a method to cope with his bloodlust, he became a fanatical follower of Goldrinn, revering him as a god, who chose to bless the worthy fighters of the Gilneans with his gift: the worgen curse. Due to this, Claude began honing his body and fighting skills in his worgen form, and his healing and supportive abilities outside of it. To honor his wolf-god, he wears the head of a dire wolf as a cowl to hide his face, and paws from the same wolf upon his shoulders, so that he may always carry the wolf-god's blessing upon himself. Claude believes that Goldrinn rewards the greatest, bravest, and most savage warriors on the battlefield with his howl, and if he is honored enough, he will bless his chosen with strength and agility. When Claude believes himself to be "blessed" in such a case, he is really just slipping into a slightly berserk state where he will fanatically hunt down all enemies he can see until they are absolutely dead. Having finished as much training as he is currently satisfied with, Claude has left Darnassus and his beloved mother to bring Goldrinn's wrath to enemies far and wide, hoping to prove his dedication to the Loping God. Appearance Claude is a very burly, well-built man. There are few things that are agile about the druid in his human form, but his worgen form is quite well-adapted and is that which he is more comfortable in for combat.